Letter of Support from the Princeton RCMP
COURT NEWS - October 11 & 12, 2007
JUDGE ORDERS JAIL
Repeat impaired driving charges earned jail time for a Nelson resident. Brent Miller was apprehended on May 2, 2005, when police followed up a complaint from the public of a possible impaired driver.
Miller had a long history of alcohol and substance abuse, and although it had been 16 years since his most recent conviction. it was his fourth conviction. He appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton on October 11 to plead guilty to the charge.
Due to his record, Miller was ordered to serve nine months of house arrest.
He will be allowed to go to work, attend to medical appointments, and other necessary tasks, with permission from his supervising corrections officer.
He will be subject to electronic monitoring. He lost his driving privileges for two years.
DON'T FIGHT IN SANDALS
Darcy B. Hopkin, a Westbank resident, was in Princeton on September 8, 2005, when he became involved in a fist fight in front of the Post Office. He had seen a person with whom he had had an altercation the previous week.
He challenged that person to fight, and the man took the challenge to heart.
Approximately 25 people watched the fight, and traffic in the area slowed to a crawl. Hopkin was injured in the fight, and learned the lesson "don't fight in sandals".
On October 11, Hopkin appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton to plead guilty to a charge of causing a disturbance. He was fined $200.
JUDGE ORDERS LIGHT SENTENCE
Jeremy M. Zawislak, formerly of Princeton, entered guilty pleas when he appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton on October 11. Zawislak, age 22, admitted guilt to two of five charges laid by RCMP following two incidents. He entered a guilty plea to assault for the first incident and pled guilty to uttering threats in the second incident.
The first crime occurred when Zawislak and a companion went to a mobile home owned by Gary Renault. They wanted to buy marijuana.
Zawislak attacked Renaud, hitting him on the side of the head with a board. Renaud suffered serious facial injuries as a result. While Renaud was down, they went into his home and stole the drug.
The second crime occurred when Zawislak went to a home in Princeton and demanded the person at the home pay Zawislak $1,000 "or I'll slit your throat".
The 22 year old man, who now lives at Maple Ridge with his mother, is now working for an electrical maintenance company where he expects to go into an apprenticeship.
Judge G. Sinclair ordered Zawislak to serve a one year probation, do 24 hours of unpaid community service work, and give a DNA sample.
CAMP FUSS ENDS IN COURT
A disturbance at Otter Lake campground resulted in a court visit for Dario Raymond, a 35 year old lower mainland resident. Raymond had been under the influence of alcohol and causing a disturbance when the campground manager ordered him to leave. Raymond refused.
A police officer camping in the area went to assist the campground manager in removing Raymond. He threw bottles at them and yelled. He became violent when police apprehended him.
Raymond was eventually taken to a cell in Princeton Detachment building where he was left to cool down.
Raymond appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton on October 11 to enter a guilty plea to one count of assault and one count of uttering threats.
He was ordered to pay a $200 fine on each count.
THREATS BRING PROBATION
Rita Jules, age 21, of Princeton, appeared in Provincial Court on October 11 to plead guilty to a charge of uttering threats. A young woman attended Princeton General Hospital on April 11 to be treated for a panic attack.
The woman claimed it was brought on by threats uttered by Jules.
The complainant said Jules had threatened to kill her.
Jules, who had a prior record for assault and theft, was ordered to serve an 18 month probation with assessment and
counselling.
FINE ORDERED BY JUDGE
Douglas Greening, originally charged with impaired driving, appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton on October 11 to plead guilty to a lesser charge of driving without due care and attention. He had been stopped by a police officer who saw Greening's vehicle swerve toward the oncoming lane four times.
Greening had a previous record for impaired driving. Judge G. Sinclair ordered the 50 year old Princeton resident to pay a $1,000 fine and prohibited him from driving for three months.
NO LICENCE BRINGS FINE
Driving while prohibited brought a big penalty for Stuart Simpson. He appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton on October 12 to plead guilty to charges of driving with more than .08 blood alcohol and driving while prohibited.
On August 4, Simpson was driving his motorcycle without wearing a helmet. He was stopped by police, who noted he had been drinking. He was given the routine blood alcohol test.
Simpson was serving a three month driving prohibition at the time of his arrest.
The 19 year old man was ordered to pay a total of $1,100 in fines and is prohibited from driving for a year.
BREACH BRINGS FINE
John F. Sullivan was ordered on April 13 to serve probation for assault. He did not make contact with the first probation officer, who became ill. He did not meet with the replacement probation officer although he did try to meet with her but she was not there for the appointment.
He said he did not receive any communication from the probation officer.
In Provincial Court in Princeton on October 11, Sullivan pled guilty to breach of probation and was ordered to pay a $150 fine.
WOMAN LOSES LICENCE
Theresa Ziemann, of Fort St. John, B.C., appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton on October 12 to plead guilty to an impaired driving charge. She was arrested on River Road in Princeton following a tip to police about a possible impaired driver.
Ziemann's readings were slightly over the .08 limit. As she had no prior record, she was ordered to pay the minimum $600 fine and is prohibited from driving for one year. HUNGRY MAN PAYS FINE
Sebastian Proulx appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton on October 11 to plead guilty to stealing corn dogs from the Overwaitea last summer. Proulx told the court he had been out of work, had no money and was very hungry.
He was fined $100.
Province of British Columbia Criminal Court Lists
